Nice, France

          A white truck plowed into a crowd
          celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France
          Not content with the truck's carnage
          a gunman splayed fifty shots into the scene

It only took twenty-one minutes
for the news bulletin to appear,
twenty-one minutes for cell phone
videos to show-up on my screen
It probably took less than twenty-one
minutes, but that's when I looked
at my screen, that's when I said--
no, not again, no, these people
didn't do anything-- they loved,
people loved them--they dreamt

Eighty-four  died, more wounded
Our news stations will send people
to cover the story, we'll offer our prayers
we'll tighten security, our government will
offer condolences, we'll fly the flag at half- mast
in solidarity-- we've done this before, we know the script

There aren't enough tears or words
to offer condolences, to sooth
the families, to fill the blanks
of lives cut short, of dreams
unfulfilled, of words left
unsaid, of lives cut
short by hate